Ikshvaku dynasty in the context of "Ikshvaku"

Ayodhya is a city mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit-language texts, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. These texts describe it as the capital of the Ikshvaku kings, including Rama.

The historicity of this legendary city is of concern to the Ayodhya dispute. According to one theory, it is same as the present-day Indian city of Ayodhya. According to another theory, it is a fictional city, and the present-day Ayodhya (originally called Saketa) was renamed after it around the 4th or 5th century, during the Gupta period.

Pārśvanātha (Sanskrit: पार्श्वनाथः), or Pārśva and Pārasanātha, was the 23rd of 24 tīrthaṅkaras ("Ford-Maker" or supreme preacher of Dharma) of Jainism. Pārśvanātha is the earliest Jaina tīrthaṅkara who is acknowledged as probably a historical figure, with some teachings attributed to him that may be accurately recorded, and a possible historical nucleus within the legendary accounts of his life from traditional hagiographies. Historians consider that he may have lived between c. 8th to 6th century BCE, founding a proto-Jaina ascetic community which subsequently got revived and reformed by Mahāvīra (6th or 5th century BCE).

According to traditional Jaina narratives, he was born to King Aśvasena and Queen Vāmādevī of the Ikshvaku dynasty in the Indian city of Varanasi, 273 years before Mahāvīra, which places him between the 9th and 8th centuries BCE. Renouncing worldly life, he founded an ascetic community. He was the spiritual successor of the 22nd Tirthankar Neminatha. He is popularly seen as a supreme propagator and reviver of Jainism. Pārśvanātha is said to have attained moksha on Mount Sammeda (Madhuban, Jharkhand) popular as Parasnath hill in the Ganges basin, an important Jaina pilgrimage site. His iconography is notable for the serpent hood over his head, and his worship often includes Dharaṇendra and Padmāvatī (Jainism's serpent Devtā and Devī).

Rishabhanatha (Devanagari: ऋषभनाथ), also Rishabhadeva (Devanagari: ऋषभदेव, Ṛṣabhadeva), Rishabha (Devanagari: ऋषभ, Ṛṣabha) or Ikshvaku (Devanagari: इक्ष्वाकु, Ikṣvāku), is the first tirthankara (Supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the first of twenty-four teachers in the present half-cycle of time in Jain cosmology and called a "ford maker" because his teachings helped one cross the sea of interminable rebirths and deaths. The legends depict him as having lived millions of years ago. He was the spiritual successor of Sampratti Bhagwan, the last Tirthankara of the previous time cycle. He is also known as Ādinātha (lit. 'first Lord'), as well as Aadishvara (first Jina), Yugadideva (first deva of the yuga), Prathamarajeshwara (first God-king) and Nabheya (son of Nabhi). He is also known as Ikshvaku, establisher of the Ikshvaku dynasty. Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha, Neminatha, and Shantinatha, Rishabhanatha is one of the five Tirthankaras that attract the most devotional worship among the Jains.

According to traditional accounts, he was born to king Nabhi and queen Marudevi in the north Indian city of Ayodhya, also called Vinita. He had two wives, Sumangalā and Sunandā. Sumangalā is described as the mother of his ninety-nine sons (including Bharata) and one daughter, Brahmi. Sunandā is depicted as the mother of Bahubali and Sundari. The sudden death of Nilanjana, one of the dancers sent by Indra in his courtroom, reminded him of the world's transitory nature, and he developed a desire for renunciation.

Ajitanatha (lit. invincible) was the second tirthankara of the present age, avasarpini (half time cycle) according to Jainism. He was born to king Jitashatru and Queen Vijaya at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku dynasty. He was a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.

Abhinandananatha or Abhinandana Swami was the fourth Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). He is said to have lived for 50 lakh purva. He was born to King Sanvara and Queen Siddhartha at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku clan. His birth date was the second day of the Magh shukla month of the Indian calendar. According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its Karma.

Sumatinatha was the fifth Jain Tirthankara of the present age (Avasarpini). Sumatinatha was born to a Kshatriya King Megha (Megharatha) and Queen Mangalavati (Sumangalavati) at Ayodhya in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His Janma Kalyanak (birthday) was the eighth day of the Vaisakha Sudi month of the Jain calendar.

Kusha (Sanskrit: कुश, IAST: Kuśa) and his younger twin brother Lava were the children of Rama and Sita. Their story is recounted in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Hindu traditions claim he ruled the entire region of Kashmir, Indus River and Hindu Kush as frontier lands of India known as Hindu Kush Kshetra and founded the city of Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley and Kasur with Lavapuri of Lava in base lands, though local lore contends Kasur was founded in 1525 by Pashtun migrants. His brother Lava is traditionally believed to have founded Lavapuri (current day city of Lahore).

The imperial line that ruled Kingdom of Benares-Kashi and the Maurya Empire, which ruled South Asia from 320 to 185 BCE, claimed descent from Kusha. Kusha is said to be a Raghuvamshi Ikshvaku Suryavanshi. He got two children from his wife Kumudvati: Athithi (son) and Kanikamalika (daughter, wife of Yadava descent king Mahabhoja).